.Guest Blogger: How to Decide Whether to Buy a New or Old Home

Guest Blog #172, Entry #649, September 8, 2011

When choosing to buy our own home many of us are faced with this classic dilemma; do we choose something old, reliable and lived in or something brand-new, spotless and (if we’re lucky) customized to our tastes?

Build Quality

The fact is that when it comes to new-builds the construction quality can vary drastically. What’s more, considering the current financial climate, and the fact that many building firms are struggling to complete developments and shift finished homes, they may be looking for ways to cut costs.

Conversely, homes with a few decades or more behind them have stood the test of time, weathered the harsh winters and despite a number of inevitable, inherent problems, have the basic build quality to retain their value and provide a safe, comfortable home for as long as the owner needs.

Image courtesy of Galen Fry Singer

Plot and Home Size

In years gone by, land was much cheaper. This meant both home and garden were bigger. Today, builders are trying to fit as many homes as possible into the smallest area possible. The resulting impact is that gardens are small and the rooms smaller.

Whereas there are some new builds that are as large as or larger than their period counterparts, these are few and far between and therefore, come with a huge premium.

Customization

Often, we buy a new build home before it’s actually built. This means that the homeowner is able to customize the property to their hearts desire. You can choose oak internal doors, bespoke kitchen fittings and even walk-in wardrobes.

This is also much easier than trying to customize a ‘second-hand’ property upon moving in since all the work, from installing the new oak doors to fitting the carpets or laminate flooring, is done for you.

Location

New homes are often, though not always, located in developments away from the heart of the city. This can mean added commuting costs and access to minimal conveniences such as shops, schools and public transport.

However, this positioning away from the city can often make for a more peaceful environment – perfect for those who are less fond of the hustle and bustle of city living.

Image courtesy of Infotelli

Maintenance

In many cases, old homes require considerable maintenance; often, as soon as one problem is fixed another one surfaces.

However, new homes can need maintenance too. Depending on the build quality many problems can begin to surface once the property is lived in. New homes also need to ‘settle’ into their foundations. This settling can often result in cracks in the walls, foundations and the frames of your new oak doors; not a cheap problem to fix.

Value

The sad fact is that new homes generally come with a premium attached. This means that the instant you move into your home, it loses a considerable amount of its value; regardless of the high-spec kitchen and the top quality oak internal doors.

This might not be a problem if you’re buying the home for life, but if you only plan to live there for a few years until finances allow for something bigger and better, buying new might not be such a wise idea.

This post has been written by James Harper on behalf of UK Oak Doors who supply an extensive range of oak doors including oak internal doors to suit any home. James writes on subjects relating to the home and home ownership.

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